Hiko's Journey
by Precischan
Summary: Hiko FlashFlame, a young, tomboyish Usul who wants to become a great adventurer, sets out on a quest to find the excitement she longs for. Chapter 4 added!
1. Leaving Home

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Okay, here's the opening to an action/adventure tale starring my skunk Usul, Hiko FlashFlame. This is just the beginning part, and kind of sets the scene for what's gonna happen. I'd really like to get feedback on this story; C'mon, please? Really, any comments are welcome… Oh, and I don't own the rights to Neopets, just my three cute little pets, okay?

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The skunk Usul stepped back and took a long look in the mirror, studying her reflection carefully with sparkling blue eyes. Silver-gray and purplish-pink metal encased her chest and stomach, surprisingly comfortable: the Usul Armour fit nicely, and didn't appear to hinder her movements much at all as she tested a few moves. The soft, velvety folds of her Forest Cloak swept gracefully around her moving body, causing her to smile all the wider.

She knew her outfit might appear slightly mismatched to some, since she didn't have the Usul Helmet or Axe to match her armor, but she didn't really care. Secretly, she thought the helmet looked a little too confining: Hiko preferred being able to look around quickly in a fight, not dealing with something bulky and heavy strapped over your head. Plus, it looked more like something the bad guys would wear in an adventure movie…

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…That axe didn't look so bad, though… that bright red bow on the handle was a bit of a stretch, but it still looked pretty strong…

For now, though, she preferred her trusty Sword of Domar, along with her other weapons. Lifting the thin blade in her paw, she made a few mock-swipes, imagining some powerful enemy falling before her.

"I look like a real warrior, just like Alabaster," she whispered, flashing a confident smirk and wink in the direction of her mirror.

The very thought made Hiko grin in pure excitement. Adventure… something she longed for more than anything else. While most other Usuls were apparently satisfied with playing games and looking cutesy, she preferred fighting in the Battledome and exploring new areas.

The thought of a new outfit only excited her if it was durable and stood up well during her somewhat rough activities, like her much-loved and much worn out denim overalls. Fancy jewelry and ribbons didn't interest her much, and heaven help you if you tried to get the feisty little thing in a dress. Makeup seemed icky, though she'd once used a tube of red lipstick to write on a sleeping Yukiko's face once, with… interesting results…

It still struck Hiko as funny how everyone save her younger sister had found that particular experimentation hilarious.

While these things had earned her the label of 'tomboy', she wasn't bothered in the slightest. In fact, if being called a tomboy meant others recognized her love of battle and risk, then the little Usul welcomed it. She could bear any taunts and teasing she got from those who didn't share her views.

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…'Sides, I could probably take most of those guys in a fight, she added silently with an impish grin.

Something in the back of her mind reminded her that she wasn't _that_ skilled of a fighter yet, that she hadn't exactly won every battle she went into. Hiko told that part of her to shut up and did a few more 'action poses' before her mirror.

Finally, she turned and half-walked, half-skipped over to her bed. Spread out over the red covers were all of the items she was planning on taking with her on her journey.

Naturally, she had a Tent-in-a-Box already packed and ready to go, along with her other battle items and some denim overalls: she couldn't wear her armor _all_ the time, after all. For food, she was bringing some sandwich packs and a couple of omelettes, planning to stretch these supplies for as long as possible. She knew she could forage a bit if she needed extra food, but wasn't foolish enough to trust entirely on her skill and good fortune alone.

For that same reason, she was bringing some Neopoints and Potions along too. Getting hurt without any method of healing herself was not her idea of adventure…

She also made certain to tuck her red hairbrush in with the rest of her supplies as she gathered them and slid everything into her traveling pack. Just because she didn't fuss over her looks constantly didn't mean she wanted to end up with tangled fur… especially since if she did come back looking a mess, her guardian would likely throw a fit.

Shouldering her pack, Hiko turned around and gazed at her reflection once more. Once again, she smiled: she really did look like an adventurer, ready for anything the world threw in her path.

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Just as long as one of those things isn't one of my sisters waking up and finding out about this, the skunk Usul amended silently as she tiptoed over to her bedroom's doorway and eased it open.

Sky blue eyes scanned the hallway for any sign of her family, and Hiko sighed in relief when nothing came into view. Moving as quickly and quietly as she could, she stepped out of her room, closed the door, and sneaked along, almost on her tiptoes.

Hiko had a feeling that her guardian Precischan already was aware of the fact that she was planning to sneak away and go on a quest: after all, she'd been the one to buy practically all of her supplies. The fact that she hadn't said anything one way or the other about it indicated to her that Precischan trusted the little skunk Usul to always do what she thought best, and recognized that she could take care of herself for a while. The idea that her guardian understood this overjoyed Hiko, but she couldn't help but worry that her sisters might have different views on the subject.

Yukiko, she knew for certain, was against the idea. The little striped Shoyru liked to keep on top of current events, and lately had started grimly predicting that something terrible was going to happen in Neopia very shortly.

She'd also learned about the fact that Doctor Sloth, Neopia's resident madman, had created something called an Usul Transmogrification Potion, a fact that had filled Yukiko with fear for her slightly elder sister. The Shoyru had kept waving articles on the subject in Hiko's face, and practically cringed at the mere mention of the skunk Usul going anywhere on her own.

Hiko certainly understood her sister's concern, and even appreciated it: the two shared a bond akin to that of twins, and the concept of harm coming to one greatly effected the other. Still, there was such a thing as being _too_ protective, and in Hiko's eyes, that was what exactly Yukiko was. Since the little Usul was the self-proclaimed fighter, and the only member of the small family interested in such things, she felt that the Shoyru should have been able to recognize she could take care of herself…

A murmur from nearby caused her to freeze, and Hiko fought back the urge to gulp as she slowly turned her head towards the source of the sound. The doorway to Melodi's room was slightly ajar, and the little Usul's pricked ears picked up the sound of soft whining coming from within. Curiosity and concern temporarily replacing her desperate desire to leave, Hiko carefully eased the door open just enough to pop her head into the room.

The little blue Cybunny was curled up with her plushies, her cuddly white-and-blue blanket pulled over her shoulders. However, said blanket was currently becoming dislodged as Melodi kicked in her sleep, whimpering slightly.

All thoughts of leaving right away were instantly pushed out of the skunk Usul's mind, and she quietly stepped into the room and crept over to her little sister's bed. Standing next to the sleeping Melodi and silently debating whether or not to wake up Yukiko and their guardian, Hiko was startled out of her mental argument when the young Cybunny abruptly cried out.

"…No… no, get away, Sloth, don't touch me, please…" murmured Melodi, while trying to curl up into an invisible ball under the sheets.

Hiko's blue eyes widened, then softened with understanding. Gently brushing her little sister's forehead with her paws, the little Usul quietly made a mental note to punch the evil doctor right in the face if she ever got the chance.

"Don't worry," she whispered to her little sister despite the fact that the Cybunny was still asleep, "Nothing bad is ever gonna happen to you, I promise…"

Hiko's face brightened as a sudden idea hit her, and she quickly darted out of the room, barely avoiding tripping over anything in her haste. A few minutes later, she returned, clutching something to her chest.

Careful not to disturb Melodi, she slid a Red Usul plushie into place directly beside the blue Cybunny. The stuffed doll was one of her most treasured possessions: the first toy she had received from her guardian, a reminder of how she had looked the day she was born.

"But I can't take it along with me, and I'd rather know that somebody was enjoying it while I was away 'stead of gathering dust," whispered Hiko, smiling as she stroked her baby sister's cheek.

Melodi appeared to calm down at her gentle touch, her whimpering fading away as she snuggled up closer to the Red Usul plush. Hiko carefully replaced the disheveled blanket over her sister's sleeping form, then backed out of the room, easing the door closed behind her. For a long moment, she stood there in the darkness, one paw resting on the handle, light blue eyes wavering.

Her sisters… Hiko already knew that going on her quest would mean leaving her family behind for a while. She'd _thought_ she had already prepared herself mentally for the temporary separation… Leave it to Melodi to find a way to prove her wrong without even trying. The little blue Cybunny probably had no idea that the skunk Usul had been there: she'd never awakened, not even when she cried out.

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…No. …No, I promised myself that I'd go on this trip. I can't chicken out now. Besides, I'll be a lot stronger by the time I get back, and I'll be able to protect them better…

Hiko slowly raised her head, resolve glittering in her sky blue eyes.

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…That's right… I'll become so strong, that nothing will ever be able to hurt them or anyone else I care about… Nothing bad will EVER happen, 'cause I'll be there to protect them…

Creeping over to the front door, Hiko soon was outside. She locked the door and slipped her keyring back into its hiding place, then turned and took a deep breath, savoring the feel of the cool night air. For a while, she stood on the porch, sky blue eyes sweeping over her surroundings as she slowly spun around in a circle, taking in every detail. She wanted to remember this sight, the start of her grand journey…

When she finished her spin, Hiko was facing the street. Her home was behind her, an unknown road ahead. The skunk Usul's eyes sparkled in the moonlight, filled with both delight and a small trace of fear. However, she did not hesitate any longer.

Pulling the hood of her Forest Cloak up, Hiko FlashFlame stepped off of her home's front pouch and started forward, silently promising herself that she wouldn't return until she had her great adventure. She had no idea where she was going, or what she was going to do just yet, but that didn't bother her. All that mattered was the experience, the thrill of the journey itself.

Maybe if she had not been caught up in dreams of her future travels, she might have noticed a pair of dark eyes watching her from the cover of the shadows. However, these eyes only lingered there for the space of a few heartbeats before closing and vanishing completely, dissolving into the darkness. And when the first rays of the already rising sun touched the area where they had been just seconds later, there was nothing in sight.


	2. First Contact

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Quick notes on this part: Hiko does a little bit of singing in here. The lyrics quoted are from "Get Along," the opening theme from the Slayers anime series. I don't own the rights to them either. It's just a cool, energetic song that I thought suited her well.

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High in the thick branches of a tree, concealed by clusters of leaves, somebody stirred. Pale tan eyes suddenly flashed open, standing out in the shadows, and quickly narrowed into angry, glittering slits. Slowly, their owner stretched out his lithe body, then shifted so that he could see clearly through the leaves and branches surrounding him.

"…Singing…?" he muttered, running a paw through locks of dark blue hair as he scanned the ground beneath his perch for any sign of the source. "…Who in Neopia would be…"

He abruptly cut himself off, tan eyes going wide for a heartbeat and then narrowing again as he spotted a single, small figure drawing steadily closer to his tree. Sinking back into the shadows, he watched in silence, ears pricked, listening intensely…

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"…I won't flinch from any opponent as my cape flaps in the breeze," Hiko sang brightly, giggling as she flipped back part of her Forest Cloak so that it trailed behind her as she walked along the winding path.

Actually, the skunk Usul wasn't so much walking as skipping along, and the path she took was more of a winding trail consisting of wherever she happened to put her feet. She'd wandered off the main streets some time before, having decided that the sooner she got off the beaten path, the sooner she would be on the true road to adventure.

Already, she was enjoying herself: the sun had risen some time ago, and she had been walking for a few hours, but she was far from tired. The mere thought of the fantastic exploits Hiko was positive she would be having was giving her even more energy, as evidenced by the fact that she was singing so cheerfully. Sky blue eyes sparkling, she launched into the chorus exuberantly.

"Far away, I'm going where I want to! Don't want this journey to ever end! Even the worst of days I'll end with a smile! Far away, embracing all of the magic! I wanna go beyond this day! With my eyes on my dreams I'll keep walking on…"

Practically running through the forest now, Hiko all but cheered the last part of the verse.

"As far as I can! Get along, _try again!_" 

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The tree's occupant stared at the young skunk Usul with one raised eyebrow, completely and utterly silent. Disbelief gleamed in his eyes: what was a child like this doing running around in the forest?

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…Other than wrecking my nap, an irritated voice in the back of his mind added.

Still, this matter required further investigation. With a silence that defied the maze of leafy branches surrounding him, the stranger swung himself into position. As Hiko strolled under his perch, he jumped down, landing directly behind the skunk Usul on both feet, still not uttering a single noise.

Hiko failed to notice this, for she was still caught up in her dreams of excitement and adventure. He studied her silently for a few seconds: an obviously young Usul clad in armor and a cloak, carrying a pack of items on her back and a Sword of Domar at her side. A slight grimace crossed his face: so this was little more than a child, then, wandering out here on her own…

"…So… what's a kid like you doing here?"

Startled by the voice that seemed to be directly by her ear, Hiko jumped and gasped. Whirling around to face its source, she almost reflexively reached down to draw her Sword of Domar, and whipped the blade out in front of her in what she hoped was an intimidating posture. However, her tense posture soon relaxed, and she blinked in surprise.

A male Kyrii with dark blue fur leaned indolently against a tree just before her, arms crossed over his chest. He appeared to be dressed rather casually, in a rumpled dark tank top and a leather glove on his right paw. The only thing that indicated that he was paying any attention to her was the fact that his narrowed tan eyes were sweeping over the young Usul, as if sizing her up.

"…Um… hi," Hiko managed to say once she found her voice.

The stranger said nothing in reply, simply continued to appraise her with his eyes. His gaze soon drifted to and paused on her Sword of Domar, still drawn and poised before the skunk Usul, and arched one eyebrow slightly. Hiko felt her face flush red for a moment as she realized she still had the blade aimed toward him, and slowly lowered her arm, smiling a bit sheepishly at the indifferent Kyrii.

"Sorry 'bout that…" she apologized with a grin, rubbing the back of her head with her free paw.

Still no reply. Hiko was beginning to feel a little annoyed now, but decided to cover her frustration up as best she could.

"You… can talk, right?" she prodded gently, a teasing smile on her face. "I mean, I've never heard of a Kyrii who could keep their mouth shut for long… What's wrong, did I scare you? Is that why you're not talking to me? Did I look that threatening?"

"…Hardly."

Even though she had known the Kyrii was really able to speak – after all, she was certain he was the one who had made that comment right by her ear – but couldn't keep herself from jumping slightly at the sudden sound of his voice.

"…So… who are you, anyway?" she tried, cocking her head slightly to one side as she studied the Kyrii's neutral face. When no answer came, she frowned for a moment, then decided to introduce herself first. Putting a paw on her own chest, she stated proudly, "My name's Hiko! Hiko FlashFlame! I'm going on an adventure!"

The Kyrii stared at her for a long, silent moment, one eyebrow arched. Suddenly, a low chuckling started up, and Hiko blinked in surprise as the stranger abruptly burst out laughing. Her face burned red, then she got control of herself and glared at the Kyrii with flashing blue eyes.

"What's so funny?!?" she demanded.

The blue Kyrii's only answer was to continue laughing, ignoring how the skunk Usul fumed at him.

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By the Faeries, she looked so serious when she said that, his mind howled.

Hiko continued to glare at the Kyrii until he finally got control of himself, straightening up and facing her once more.

"No, seriously, why are you out here?"

"I just told you!" Hiko hissed, blazing blue eyes locked on his smirking face. Flipping the edge of her Forest Cloak back again, she added, "I'm going on a great journey to find adventure and excitement, just like I've always wanted!"

The blue Kyrii fell silent again at that, his tan eyes regaining their solemn gleam as he narrowed them at her. Despite her anger with the stranger, Hiko also felt a little awkward under his intense gaze. She couldn't help but get the feeling that she was under scrutiny, all of her faults coming to light.

Finally the Kyrii stopped staring at her, and turned away.

"…You won't get far."

Hiko's anger instantly flared up again at the simple comment.

"What do you mean by that?!?" she shouted, eyes beginning to glow with her anger.

He paused, then glanced at her from over his shoulder.

"I can tell that you're just a little rookie," the Kyrii replied matter-of-factly. When Hiko opened her mouth to protest, he added smoothly, "Don't say a thing, you and I both know it's true. It's clear in your eyes, and everything else about you. How long have you been around: about two months? That seems about right to me…"

"…So… so what if I'm young?" Hiko argued lamely, privately acknowledging that the blue Kyrii hadn't been all that off in his estimate.

He just smirked at her, tan eyes glittering.

"…Thought so. You're just a foolish little child, setting out in search of fun," he continued, ignoring the glare she leveled in his direction. "You have no clue just how dangerous the real world is. Go back home to your plushies and Usukis, little girl…"

"…I don't play with Usukis," Hiko replied truthfully under her breath. Louder, she added, "And I'm not going home until I find my adventure!"

"Fine. Then you'll likely be going home in a body bag."

With that, the blue Kyrii suddenly whirled on his heel and took off, sprinting deeper into the woods. Hiko blinked again, startled by his abrupt departure, then took off after him, running as fast as she could.

"Hey, wait…!" she shouted.

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Perfect. Should have known that she'd follow me, the Kyrii berated himself silently as his sharp ears picked up on the sound of rapid footsteps behind him. _Children always seem to have a problem with sensing when to leave well enough alone…_

Weaving easily through the forest, he soon came across exactly what he was looking for: passing underneath one with thick, rather low-hanging branches, the blue Kyrii suddenly stopped short and sprang into the air. Both paws curled quickly around one of the limbs, and he swung up and out of sight, barely making the leaves surrounding him rustle as he touched down lightly.

Craning his neck, he allowed himself a slight smirk as the little skunk Usul scampered into view beneath his perch and skidded to a stop. He watched in amused silence as she looked around, not even needing a clear look at her face to see her confusion and growing frustration.

However, a clear look at her face was exactly what he got when she abruptly looked straight up, right to where he was sitting above her.

The Kyrii instantly froze, tan eyes nearly bugging out of his head with shock. Although the logical part of his mind reassured him that there was no way a simple-minded child could possibly see him through his cover, at the same time, another part was heartily wishing that he possessed green fur instead of blue.

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This is insane… she's only a mere girl. A young, female Usul, a child… about as far from a threat as you can get. There is absolutely no reason for me to even pay her the slightest amount of concern or attention…

Still, he couldn't keep from heaving a silent sigh of relief when those pale blue eyes slowly shifted their gaze back to the woods surrounding their owner.

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…Nothing to worry about…

Finally, the little Usul let out an exasperated shout and stomped off, verdant cloak swishing behind her as her twitching tail stirred it. The blue Kyrii watched her move further into the forest through slitted eyes. Once she had vanished from his sight, he swung back down to earth, landing in a crouched position, his glove-less hand on the ground for balance. Raising his head slightly, he glared in the direction she had gone from under dark, tangled cobalt bangs.

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Perfect. Just perfect. The stupid kid WOULD have to head that way, wouldn't she…? …I swear, the Dark Faerie must be laughing her wings off at some of the stuff I have to put up with…

He slowly rose to his feet, narrowed eyes still fixed on where the skunk Usul had gone, then abruptly pivoted on his heel.

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…Whatever. I can't be responsible for what happens to every starry-eyed newbie who wanders off looking for their idea of 'excitement'. If some brat happens to get hurt or killed 'cause they found the trouble they were looking for…

Slowly, the Kyrii began to walk in the opposite direction that Hiko had gone, only to pause and glance backward again. His expression remained composed, neutral, but a slight sigh escaped from him as he turned his gaze back before him.

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…Good luck, kid.

Long cobalt locks of fur fluttered round his face as the blue Kyrii dashed away, deeper into the woods, and his retreating figure soon vanished into the shadows.


	3. Loyalty Lost

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Well, if you've been waiting for some REAL action to show up in this fanfic… here you go. Hiko finally gets a chance to fight… problem is, it isn't against the sort of "insanely evil monsters" she's daydreamed about facing. Things are not always as simple as black and white… Also, be warned, as there is a bit of violence in this part – obviously. Does anybody think I should up the rating a little…?

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Hiko stomped forward, trying her hardest to conceal the anger and frustration she felt at the moment. Her black and white tail lashed behind her, causing her Forest Cloak to rustle slightly, but she ignored the noise the same way she ignored the sound of her own heavy footfalls. 

She couldn't believe how rude that Kyrii had been! Hiko didn't understand it: she thought she had been acting nice and polite, striking up a friendly conversation, and how had he replied…?

By _laughing at her!_ By making a mockery of her dreams and expectations! Calling her a rookie, and claiming that she wasn't strong enough to take care of herself!

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"Remember, every great fighter started out as a young rookie."

Hiko smiled, calming down a little at the memory of her guardian's words.

So what if she was younger and less experienced than other fighters? That was why she kept training, wasn't it? It was why she was so eager to get out and expand her skills, to test the spells given to her by the faeries as well as her own natural strengths. She'd get better and better, until she was viewed by her peers at the Battledome as an equal, a worthy rival…

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Somebody to respect and not just a "weak little tomboy Usul".

Smirking at that thought, Hiko balled one of her paws into a tiny fist at her side. Pushing the Kyrii's insults out of her mind, she swore once again that nothing would stop her from attaining her dreams.

So caught up in her thoughts was the skunk Usul that she failed to notice that a shadowy figure was beginning to emerge from the woods, darting behind trees as it drew steadily closer. However, the dry snap of a twig under its paw was all the warning she needed.

Tensing, Hiko whirled in the direction of the sudden crack, Sword of Domar in her paw again, tail bristling behind her, sky blue eyes glowing faintly.

"Who's there?" she demanded bravely.

However, once again Hiko found herself blinking in surprise as the sight before her failed to match anything out of her heroic daydreams. She had expected to see a hulking Grarrl or a snarling Lupe, but instead, she found herself sticking the point of her blade directly at the nose of a pale green Gelert.

For his part, the Gelert appeared just as startled as she was, deep brown eyes fixed on the sword hovering inches away from his muzzle. Cheeks burning slightly, Hiko recalled how the Kyrii had responded to this same situation calmly, not panicking in the least about having a blade stuck in his face. At least this Gelert appeared somewhat unnerved by the whole thing…

"Sorry 'bout that," she murmured, dropping her ready stance and smiling at him. "I guess I'm a little edgy right now…"

"…Edgy, huh," echoed the Gelert, sounding like he couldn't make up his mind whether to be nervous or amused. After a few awkward seconds, however, amusement won out, and he smiled back at Hiko, much to her immense relief.

"So, are you out here all by yourself?" he queried, cocking his head to one side.

"Uh huh," Hiko nodded enthusiastically, beaming as she added, "I'm going on a adventure. My name's Hiko FlashFlame, what's yours?"

"…My name?"

For an instant, a strange expression flickered on the green Gelert's face: a mix of pain, sorrow, annoyance, and other emotions Hiko couldn't identify. However, the look was gone just as quickly as it came, replaced by the same, friendly smile, leaving her to wonder if it had ever existed in the first place.

"I don't really have a name," he announced brightly.

"…What?" Hiko blinked, confused, and cocked her head to one side as she studied her companion. "…But… didn't your owner give you a name when you…"

"Don't have an owner," interrupted the Gelert smoothly, still grinning at her as if this was the most normal thing in the world.

Hiko blinked again, trying hard to conceal her shock as she gazed at him with dawning sympathy.

"Oh… that's too bad…"

"No big deal. Don't really need one, anyway."

"…Eh? But… don't you get lonely…?"

"…Not really."

The skunk Usul stared at her Gelert companion in growing shock, his calmness triggering something in the back of her mind. This didn't seem right, somehow… Her senses were warning her to be careful, that something big was amiss here…

Warily, she glanced around, her movement apparently surprising the Gelert standing in front of her.

"Something wrong, Hiko?" he asked, and she bristled at something… off… in his tone. He sounded guarded… just as wary as she was, but for a different reason…

The Sword of Domar was still in her paw, and she gripped it tightly as she whipped it back in front of her, edging away from her companion. He took a step toward her, only to find the blade pointed at his nose again.

"Stay right there," Hiko told him, danger sense now screaming that something was seriously wrong.

The green Gelert frowned, previously friendly face darkening, and he took a few cautious steps backward at the same time Hiko did. Each glared at the other, trying to read their next move.

Hiko's ears twitched, and she felt her fur bristle at the sound of light footfalls coming from all sides. Glancing around, she barely managed to catch her sharp gasp – _of surprise, not fear,_ she reassured herself.

Several more Gelerts had emerged from the cover of the trees and had fanned out to surround the little skunk Usul. Most had simply colored coats of red, blue, yellow or green, but as she glanced around, Hiko noticed that a few had been painted: some shadow, a few spotted, and even a faerie Gelert with pale lavender wings.

Although she attempted to mask her surprise at seeing this, several of the Gelerts picked up on her confusion, and one of the dark-painted canines sneered as he circled around in front of her.

"What's the matter, little one?" he sneered. "Why do you look so stunned? Don't you like my lovely black fur?"

"Or my dazzling wings?" added the faerie Gelert, flexing the pale butterfly wings as she spoke.

"Did…did your owners take you to the Rainbow Fountain too?" Hiko asked, attempting to keep her voice steady and calm.

The simple query caused several of the lanky lupines to snarl, and Hiko winced, realizing that she'd said the wrong thing. Gripping her sword's hilt a little tighter, she shifted her weight slightly, trying to ensure that as little of her cloaked back was exposed to the lupines as possible.

"…Yeah, my owner took me to the Rainbow Fountain," one of the spotted Gelerts suddenly piped up, smiling faintly. However, his smile abruptly twisted into an angry smirk and a shadow seemed to fall over his face as he added, "Before he abandoned me."

Several of the other painted Gelerts echoed this statement, muttering under their breath. Hiko felt a cold chill run down her spine.

"But why…how could they do such a…"

"Don't you keep up with the news, little Usul?" taunted a Gelert with deep crimson fur, dark brown eyes glittering faintly as he regarded her with amusement. "Our kind recently underwent a… makeover of sorts…."

"There was a big election and everything," added a blue-furred one. "They asked all the masters and owners to vote on a new look…"

"Isn't it funny how they never thought to ask us? The ones that would have to live with whatever they chose for the rest of our lives?" another blue Gelert said with false cheer. She smiled crazily as she giggled, "Ha, ha, ha…"

"We were kept hanging for weeks, wondering how we would end up looking," a green Gelert, the same one she had met first, went on. "Blame it on another stupid recount…"

"And once we _finally_ discovered our new appearance and were _forced_ to adopt it…"

"Our owners decided they were no longer pleased with the way we looked," a pair of yellow Gelerts said in succession, one picking up the other's sentence so there was no gap between words.

"Even though they got to vote just the same as everybody else did," chimed in another red Gelert. "Imagine, huh?"

"So they dumped us into the pound, just like that. Didn't matter how long we'd lived with and loved them, how loyal we'd been…"

"Or whether or not we'd been painted," added one of the shadow Gelerts, lips curling back in a snarl that exposed gleaming white teeth.

"We're the lucky ones," the faerie Gelert continued. "We managed to escape from that wretched kennel and find our way here. It's a nice life, I suppose… nowhere near as cushy as the one you're likely used to… with your _loving_ master looking after you…"

"But don't worry," added another shadow one with false cheeriness. "We've found a few good ways to provide for ourselves…"

Hiko had a pretty good idea of what exactly he meant by that, and felt her body tense even further as she struggled to keep an eye on as many of her opponents as possible as they continued to slowly close the circle around her.

"I thought you Gelerts were supposed to be kind, loving, loyal Neopets," she commented, trying to keep her tone light as she adjusted her grip on her sword's hilt.

"As kind, loyal and loving as our former owners were," shot back the first Gelert she had met, tensing for his own attack.

Abruptly, one of the canines behind Hiko leapt toward her turned back, ready to send her sprawling to the ground.

The sly smirk on his red-furred muzzle suddenly twisted into a shocked expression as the skunk Usul dodged out of his path, then whirled about to face him, the tip of her Sword of Domar nicking his side. Landing roughly on his feet, the crimson Gelert gasped, then shot a murderous glare at Hiko. She smirked, recognizing the surprise that glinted in his narrowed chocolate eyes.

"Not as helpless as you thought, eh?"

The red Gelert snarled at her, but to Hiko's amazement, several of the other lupines snickered at their comrade's pain and humiliation. She had been trying to prove she was more than able to fight them, not amuse them…! Gritting her teeth in frustration, the skunk Usul struggled to suppress the urge to lunge forward and punch one of the sneering Gelerts right in its smirking face.

The crimson-furred Gelert was still growling at her, crouching low to the ground as he prepared to pounce again. Hiko readied her blade, waiting for him to lunge…

Suddenly pain exploded across the back of her head, and the little Usul gasped and reeled, barely managing to keep gripping the hilt of her sword as her other paw flew up to cover her aching skull. Whirling around, she caught a glimpse of one of the spotted Gelerts standing there, paw poised in front of him. She had not yet recovered from her strike, but still smirked knowingly at the fuming Usul.

"That's not fair!" shouted Hiko, swiping at her new attacker and driving the spotted lupine back. "You have to wait until I've finished my fight with him! That's how the rules…"

Again the Gelerts chuckled and snickered at the skunk Usul, laughing at her outraged declaration. The spotted Gelert shook her head in mock disbelief, dark eyes dancing with mirth as she eyed her prey.

"This isn't the Battledome, sweetie," she said airily, long whip-like tail lashing behind her slender body. "There's no such thing as a 'fair fight', and the only rule that matters is 'win no matter what'…"

Hiko's sky blue eyes flared with outrage and embarrassment, but she had little time to dwell on her mistake.

The red Gelert took advantage of her distraction, and lunged toward her turned back, snapping his jaws shut on her long tail. Hiko screeched and yanked it away, wincing as she felt some of the black and white fur tear out, remaining lodged in her attacker's teeth. Thankfully, a mouthful of fur was all that she lost to him. However, this did not keep Hiko from shooting an angry glare at the scarlet canine and swinging her sword at him, driving him back.

Another set of paws slammed into her back, nearly knocking her down, and Hiko gasped to regain the air forced out of her lungs by the blow. She dimly heard a metallic clang, and realized that one of the Gelert's attacks had hit her armor instead.

For some reason, that knowledge caused a slight smirk to come to her face, and the skunk Usul twisted away from her opponents, then adopted another fighting pose.

__

I can do this, she reassured herself. _I'm not half as weak or defenseless as they think I am…_

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

__

That little fool! Why doesn't she run?

A pair of narrowed tan eyes glittered with frustration and growing anger, and the blue Kyrii gritted his teeth as he continued to watch the fight from the cover of the trees.

The little Usul was doing better than he had initially believed she would, he had to admit silently. Despite the fact that she was horribly outnumbered, she was putting up a brave front, and had somehow managed to keep standing even as the Gelerts attacked time and again.

But it was painfully obvious that she would never be able to defeat all of them by herself. After all, she was only a little rookie…

The Kyrii grimaced, shaking his head and closing his eyes. His long cobalt bangs fell over his forehead, casting most of his face into shadow.

Abruptly his eyes flashed open again, and seemed to glitter faintly as a smirk twisted the Kyrii's lips.

__

Guess I'll even the odds a bit…

A dark mist formed around his body as the Kyrii crept forward, causing his form to blend in even more with the shadows surrounding him. Tan eyes narrowed in slits as he approached, and he silently gauged the strength of each of the Gelerts. His gaze fixed upon a snarling green Gelert that was on the fringe of the circle surrounding the skunk Usul, and his smirk widened.

__

…This should give the little rookie a bit of an advantage…

The green Gelert he had singled out failed to note his approach, focused entirely on his soon-to-be victim. Growling and taunting the Usul, he dropped into a crouch, whip-like tail wagging at the thought of pouncing upon her…

In a single, swift movement, the Kyrii reached out, seized his chosen victim's right hind leg, and twisted.

A single, clear snap accompanied the action, and was almost immediately followed by a piercing, pained howl.

Hiko froze, startled by the sound, and spun to see what had happened. Most of the other Gelerts stopped and stared as well, curious.

The green Gelert had collapsed to the ground, howling in agony, his leg twisted at an awkward angle beside his fallen form. As Hiko and the other canines stared in shock at the horrid sight, a dark mist swirled and faded just in front of the crumpled Gelert. As the shadowy fog vanished, it left behind a single figure, and Hiko gasped in recognition.

The blue Kyrii stood there calmly, arms crossed over his chest, a smug smirk on his face as he studied the rest of the Gelerts with gleaming tan eyes.

"Next."

The rest of the pack abruptly scattered, fleeing in all directions. Hiko stood in mute shock, watching the Gelerts bound away without even another glance at their fallen comrade, vanishing into the forest as quickly as they had come. Soon, the only ones left were herself, the wounded green Gelert, and the blue Kyrii that still stood a few feet away, smirking at her.

"Heh. What weaklings," he observed, shaking his head slightly, the same smug smile on his face. His eyes never left her face, and he added, "You're lucky I came to help you, rookie. Your little stunt was about to get you killed…"

He trailed off, seeing that the little skunk Usul was walking toward him, and his smirk grew wider.

__

…Ah, here we go. This is where she apologizes for being so much trouble and thanks me before going home…

She walked up to him, head bowed, a shadow falling over her eyes. The blue Kyrii looked down at her expectantly, waiting.

Then, abruptly, Hiko FlashFlame snapped her head up to face him, sky blue eyes blazing with anger, and slapped him across the face.

"You _IDIOT!_" she shrieked.

The blue Kyrii blinked, barely able to mask his shock as the skunk Usul whirled around and dashed to the fallen Gelert's side. As he watched, rubbing his sore cheek, Hiko knelt beside her former opponent, tears glistening in her eyes as she pulled a potion from her traveling pack and proceeded to try and make the canine drink it.

__

…Alright… now I know for certain she's a complete fool as well as a rookie, he mused darkly, glaring at her as she continued to try and help the Gelert.


	4. Kyrii's Reasoning

__

Okay, I finally decided to put up the next part. Sorry it took so long, though I doubt many people noticed that it hadn't moved on for a while now. Anyway, same disclaimers apply as before.

~ * ~ * ~

"Tell me, what exactly do you think you're doing?"

Hiko raised her head and glared at the blue Kyrii with flashing cerulean eyes. He ignored the look, still regarding her with arms crossed over his chest, leaning against a tree. Just as he had when they first met. The only real difference was the fact that the outline of a small paw was imprinted on the side of his face in the form of a faint, purpling bruise, one that was barely noticeable.

"I'm waiting for this poor Gelert to wake up," she replied crisply, averting her gaze back down to the unconscious lupine. "You know, the one whose leg you kinda broke…?"

"I can see that, but why? He and his companions would have killed you in a heartbeat if I had not intervened on your behalf."

__

…A decision I am seriously beginning to regret, he added silently.

"They wouldn't have killed me."

The Kyrii arched a disbelieving eyebrow at her.

"Oh?"

"They were… they were just trying to get supplies… If they had beaten me – which they wouldn't have!" insisted Hiko quickly, "– they would have just taken my stuff and left. That's all they wanted!"

"Oh, really?" the Kyrii inquired, a slight smirk tugging at one corner of his mouth. "You don't think that they wouldn't have thought to butcher you for nourishment as well? For meat is extremely difficult to find out in the wilderness, and…"

"Stop it! That's just plain stupid!" howled Hiko, glaring at him again.

"Is it?" he challenged quietly.

"Look, okay, okay, they were thieves, I can see that," she conceded. "And not of the 'Robin Lupe' kind, either. But killing another Neopet so they could eat them…? That's ridiculous!"

"Why? Lupes do it to Chias all the time."

"……"

"What? No protestation that 'that's different'? No outraged defense of one side or the other?" the Kyrii prodded, watching her face intently with glittering tan eyes.

"…I've never seen that happen," Hiko said suddenly, voice unusually low and subdued. "I've only seen a Lupe try to tear up a Chia plushie, and that was only one time… and even then, I stopped him before he could do much damage to it."

"So… sheltered as well as naïve," the Kyrii observed dryly under his breath.

Hiko stiffened with anger, paws clenching into trembling fists at her side. Part of her desperately wanted to lunge at the smirking Neopet and smack him across the other cheek as well, and possibly just keep hitting him until he shut up… But at the same time, she glanced over at the still sleeping Gelert and the dry crack of his leg snapping echoed dimly in her folded back ears.

__

He wouldn't do the same thing to me… right?

Part of her scoffed at the thought, but at the same time, Hiko relaxed her paws and let them hang by her sides. One wrapped gently around the hilt of her Sword of Domar… just as a precaution, of course. After all, the rest of the Gelerts might return for their fallen comrade…

The blue Kyrii noticed how she fingered her blade, and his smirk twisted slightly into a knowing smile.

__

Ahh… Perhaps she isn't quite so naïve at that…

"Despite what you think, I can take care of myself just fine, thank you," said Hiko after a short pause. "You don't have to stick around here just to look after me…"

"And whoever said I was staying to look after you, kiddo? I'm more interested in that pup you're insisting on helping…"

"Haven't you done enough to him?!" hissed Hiko, glaring at him again.

The blue Kyrii appeared unshaken by her accusing expression, and returned her gaze calmly with cool tan eyes.

"Would you rather his deception had worked? He is the one who was attempting to lure you off your guard in the first place…"

"What?"

Hiko stared over at the sleeping Gelert in surprise, as if noticing for the first time that the lupine's fur was a pale mint green: the same as the one she had met originally. In the confusion of the following assault and the shock of seeing the Kyrii snap somebody's leg, the Skunk Usul had failed to recognize that simple fact.

"That…doesn't prove anything. Green's a common fur color for Gelerts," she said, shaking her head.

Then Hiko realized something with a start, and jerked with surprise.

"You mean you…you were watching the whole time?!?" she blurted, staring at the blue-furred Kyrii.

He did not bother to answer, instead simply continuing to lean against the tree and watch her quietly. Hiko felt her cheeks burn faintly with fury: she had watched her entire struggle, beginning to end. Who knew how much longer he'd been spying on her beforehand…

Dimly, she heard the Kyrii mutter something, and she blinked wide blue eyes at him, curious.

"What did you just say…?"

"…His pack has caused some trouble around here before," he repeated calmly. "Ever since the Gelerts had their looks changed, a bunch ended up turning wild. It's a definite problem," the Kyrii added. "It's seriously upsetting the balance out here."

Again Hiko blinked, not quite understanding.

"The…balance?"

The blue Kyrii gazed at her for a long moment, then nodded slightly, more to himself than to her.

"Wild pets are not exactly uncommon around here," he explained. "A few new faces arrive almost every day. Many of them are refugees from the pound, ones who didn't want to wait for new owners or end their days alone. Others fled directly from their owners, rather than get taken to the pound or ignored in favor of their former masters' other pets. And some of them… some just wanted to take control of some aspect of their lives. To find new companions… new friends that understood them… that would be loyal…"

"…Hmm…" Hiko sighed, casting another glance toward the sleeping, green-furred lupine.

"Normally, it's rare for a bunch of one type of Neopet to show up out here at any one time. There might be a group of two, three or even four who belonged to the same negligent owner and escaped together, or a pair that joined together to get out of the pound, but usually, they're not all the same species. The only time real floods might occur is when something happens to the species itself… like 'evolution'…"

"Or a makeover," Hiko commented.

"Right. That's when a lot of unsatisfied and upset people are apt to disown their former pets, despising the changes. Ideally, that would be great news for those who actually like the new look: they could flock to the pound and find one there to adopt, possibly already trained, painted, and everything else by their previous master."

The Kyrii shook his head, cobalt bangs shading his narrowed tan eyes as he went on, "Of course, it's not that simple. Most people would rather get a new, fresh Neopet, one they can say has always been their own. They like having control over everything."

"But if they wanted a certain color, couldn't they just buy a paintbrush and…?"

"That wouldn't let them name their new Neopet whatever they wanted, though," pointed out the Kyrii. "Names are important to most humans, and they can spend hours, even days in advance, deciding on what they might want to name their new friend before picking them out. …Maybe if they could change the name of a Neopet they adopt, too, it would help out…"

Hiko was silent, looking at the Kyrii sadly.

"However, such speculation is useless at this time. The problem remains: all of these Gelerts are prowling around, angered by their former masters' abandonment of them, and taking it out on those who cross paths with them. While it isn't a problem for the stronger, swifter wild Neopets, the weaker ones have suffered a great deal…"

"So…you do care about others, then," the Skunk Usul said softly.

"Not in the sense you are likely thinking, rookie. I am more concerned with how the Gelerts' actions affect those who survive as well. From what I have seen, those canines are becoming too settled into the role of taking whatever they wish. The fact that they ambushed a traveler, albeit one such as yourself that is so obviously easy prey–"

"Hey!" Hiko cried, temper flaring again.

"–Signals that they've become too overconfident in their abilities. This time, you were lucky enough to survive long enough for a more experienced warrior to handle the situation."

"I was doing just fine until you showed up," pouted the Skunk Usul, crossing her arms over her armored chest.

"You were also fortunate enough to be at least somewhat equipped for a battle," the Kyrii went on smoothly, eyeing her outfit as he did.

__

That's at least one credit in this child's favor: her armor helped save her life. Pity she doesn't appear to realize that…

"But, there's no guarantee that the next one will be so lucky," he continued. Narrowing his tan eyes at his companion, he prodded, "Think about it for a while. The next one they attack could be anything, anyone. A peaceful pet who has never entered the Battledome in their life. A child who wandered too far from its master to play. Anyone."

"Th-they couldn't–"

"Couldn't get away with it for long. Exactly. Neopians will start to wonder what's behind all the disappearances, and investigate. And then…"

He trailed off, letting a heavy silence fall over them.

"…And then?" Hiko prodded.

"Then they'll find all the wild Neopets out here. And since everyone will likely be upset by the disappearances and wanting to see their form of justice done, all the runaways they find will become the scapegoats. Captured, carted back to the pound, or worse… just because a few angry pups became too convinced of their invulnerability."

He paused, then fixed the stunned Hiko with a piercing look.

"That's why I snapped that one's leg," he told her firmly. "Not simply to keep those fools from teaching you a serious lesson about how costly being impulsive and overconfident can be. Hopefully, seeing what happened to their former comrade should be enough to dissuade at least a few of them…"

He ran one paw through his thick cobalt locks again, smoothing the long fur down. Hiko looked down at the ground for a few moments, then back up at him.

"What are you planning to do with him when he wakes up?" she asked.

The Kyrii flicked a sidelong glance at the Gelert's motionless figure: the green-furred canine appeared to have fallen asleep despite his injuries, but there was no way to be entirely certain…

__

…Of course, it's not like he can do a whole lot even if he does hear what's going to happen, he mused darkly, a smirk tugging at one corner of his mouth.

"That depends on his own actions," he replied smoothly, keeping a discreet eye on the green Gelert as he spoke. "I want information on where his pack lives, where they rest and relax. If he guides me there of his own free will, I will do nothing more to harm him. However…"

He trailed off, allowing Hiko to come to the likely conclusion on her own. He couldn't help but notice that the Gelert's seemingly sleeping figure appeared to stiffen slightly where it lay, and a grim smile flickered over his pressed lips.

"You really expect him to betray…" Hiko blurted, furious.

"Who betrayed whom?" he shot back, having anticipated her protest. "When I broke his leg, did his so-called friends attempt to save him – or themselves?"

Again the skunk Usul lapsed into sullen silence, and the Kyrii knew his words had struck home. He watched as Hiko gripped one edge of her Forest Cloak tightly, wringing it in her paws, and noted that she was biting the inside of her lip as well.

__

She really doesn't know how to deal with things that challenge her view on life…

Shaking his head at her naivete, the blue Kyrii turned away from the campsite, waving his gloved paw dismissively at her over his shoulder.

"…Whatever. Have a nice night," he mumbled vaguely.

"Um, wait," Hiko said abruptly, reaching into her traveling pack and rummaging around. The Kyrii turned and glanced at her, and she asked, "Do you need anything to eat or something? 'Cause I have a lot of food supplies…"

"Save it. I can find my own food."

"Really? Don't you want even something like an apple or…"

"I can't stand apples," the Kyrii interrupted, a dark grimace twisting his face briefly. "And I would prefer that you leave me alone for the time being. Don't worry about the Gelert: I'll be close enough to pick him up later whenever he recovers."

Hiko glared at the blue Kyrii with narrowed sky blue eyes and hissed, "Look, I'm trying to find some way to repay you for jumping in earlier, alright? Don't make it harder than it already is…"

He gazed at her for a long moment, then shook his head slightly and smirked again, turning to face her.

"Please. There's no need for you to thank me… as I said, I wasn't trying to help you out back there. All I care about is getting rid of the Gelerts by any means necessary. That's all. If you truly want to thank me…"

"Yes?"

"…Then stay out of my way. Go back home to your family and friends or remain here and get yourself killed: it doesn't matter to me, so long as you stay out of my way. But if you interfere with me in any manner…"

He leaned in closer, and Hiko blinked, startled to realize that he had crossed the short distance between them without her even noticing. The Kyrii curved his neck just slightly, enough that his lips were right next to her ear as he whispered.

"Then I'll kill you." 

He clamped his gloved paw down tightly on her shoulder, and Hiko gasped as she felt a mild electrical shock course down her side from the point of contact. The blue Kyrii gazed down into her wide blue eyes and smiled, tan eyes glittering faintly, then with a bound of movement he was gone, vanishing into the surrounding forest. Only Hiko's willpower kept her standing instead of sinking to her knees after he disappeared, and she gazed off blankly into the trees.

"…But… I still don't even know your name…" she murmured, a somewhat dazed expression on her face.

Behind her, the green Gelert opened one brown eye just a slit and glared at her turned back, then quickly shut it again before she could turn and see him.


End file.
